1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices used in the game of football to measure forward progress by the offensive team in series of plays to determine whether a first down has been earned by sufficient forward progress. More specifically, the invention relates to football sideline chains.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Football sideline chains have long been used in the game of football for measurement of yardage and the determination of first down situations. The sideline chain has consisted essentially of two vertical members, usually tubular poles, called markers that are connected by a chain that is attached to their respective bottoms. The sideline chain apparatus is used on the sideline of the football playing field. When one team begins a series of downs, one marker (“the first marker”) is aligned with the leading end of the football, and the chain is pulled taut along the sideline toward the scoring or offensive goal line with the other marker (“the second marker”) 10 yards distant from the first marker. If the offensive team gains 10 yards of forward progress, during a series of four downs, or plays, it earns another se of four downs. Sometimes the ball is carried on a play so near the 10-yard distance required that a determination of whether the requirement has been met is not dear with clear to the second marker on the sideline. In these situations the sideline chain is brought out onto the playing field for a more precise measurement allowed by bringing the second marker closer to the leading edge of the football. In making measurements on the field, the officials pick up both marker poles and the chain at the sideline. The chain is first marked at the point where the chain intersects the yard line, nearest the ball, and places that point of the chain on the same yard line on the field; but in direct alignment with the balls leading end. Only the distance along the chain between that point on the chain and the second marker (hereinafter referred to as the “measuring portion”) is used to make the measurements on the field, and the first marker, although brought onto the field, does not enter into the measurement. The measuring portion of the chain is pulled taut by pulling the second marker towards the football's leading end to determine whether the football has been advanced sufficiently enough to earn another series of downs.
Football measuring devices of the prior art disadvantageously require moving the total chain from the sideline that is both poles with the attached 10 yard (30 feet) of chain, even though one of the poles and; a portion of the chain is not needed in the measurement. To make measurements rapidly, this may require three officials, one to carry each marker, and one to carry the chain. Also, the measurement must be taken from a line that intersects some portion of the chain between the first and second marker. Depending on how the official grasps the chain when be or she picks the chain up at the sideline, and bow the official sets it down in the field, some inaccuracy may be introduced into the measurement. In close contests a single such measurement can decide the outcome of the game, and accuracy in making such a measurement becomes critical.
Similarly, because football is often played during inclement weather, it is not unusual for prior art chains to accumulate mud, snow and/or ice when used under adverse conditions. This accumulation can disadvantageously change the effective length of the measuring chain to render it effectively shorter than the standard ten yards. As the chain is used and stretched at the start of each series of earned first downs, snow, ice or mud can accumulate between chain links and thereby shorten the actual ten yard distance between the marker pokes. This is to the advantage of the offensive team.
Further, when during play, defensive players often tackle or push the ball carrier out of bounds, so that the official holding the markers, on the sideline, are forced to drop them to avoid injury, introducing a source of error into measurement of the relative ball position because the markers and chain must be reset. These prior art football chain devices do not provide a solution to these problems.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,645,707; 1,684,566; 2,060,165; 2,384,150, 2,479,157; 3,678,592, 3,768,435 exemplify the prior art directly related to football sideline markers and U.S. Pat. No. 301,869 show a prior art surveyor's chain of background interest. Similarly, a surveyor'chains are also; unsuited to the problem. There is a continuing need for a football measuring device that can be used to provide rapid, accurate measurements of a team's progress down the field. U.S. Pat. No. 3,837,317 could possibly be altered to use on the playing field, although it was not intended to be used thusly. U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,803 is designed to be used on the field but uses a much different method than the present invention. Explanation of the differences between these, inventions and the present invention will be clearly shown in the claims portion, herein.